Tuesday, June 24, 2014

I really appreciate all the help and support that we have
received. The members out here, I thank you with all my heart for being so kind
to my little brother. If he is talking in your home you have done a great job.
I know that he has opened his mouth in every home we have been in. What does
that mean? He likes you and he is comfortable. Thank you for allowing the
spirit to be in your homes.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying on our behalf. In
the Book of Mormon there is a story about a people that were slaves. They
prayed from their hearts that the Lord would help them in their captivity. The
Lord said to them, “Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of
the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and
deliver them out of bondage. And I will also ease the burdens which are put
upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs…and this
will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter and that ye may know
of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.” The
Lord came to those people and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to
all the will of the Lord. I promise in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ,
that has been the answer to your prayers! Elder “Mac” is in bondage mentally
and physically, but I am a witness of the miracle of your prayers. The burdens
that are upon his shoulders, he carries them with ease and he does so
cheerfully! Thank you!

We appreciate everything that you have done for us. The Lord
will keep his promise to sustain Elder “Mac”. Don’t you worry about that,
however I do know the Lord wants more from each of you.

I have learned that the Lord loves to come and help us. That
is why he came and suffered for each and everyone us. His death on the cross
was only the symbol that if we would look to him we might also live as he did.
That is the hope of our daily lives; that through all of our struggles one day
we may be relieved.

He wants us to feel good and to be happy.Have you ever thought though, "What does the
Lord expect from me?" If your heart has been pricked, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
What is it that has been weighing most on your mind? Is it something you need
to change? Is it something you need to learn more about? Is there someone you
need to talk to? Is there someone you need to share this story too? Is there
someone you need to talk to about God?What are you doing about what you are feeling and experiencing?

Monday, June 16, 2014

Monday and Tuesday were a little too much for Elder “Mac”.
Our goal was one member at a time. Unfortunately I tried to push him a little
too much with dinner and one member. He’s not dumb; he knows that is two, not
one. That really got him worked up and stressed out. All day Wednesday he kept asking
me if we had one member and if I had worked out the rest of the week. Not
yet.All I could tell him is that I was
working on it. That wasn’t good enough for him. He broke down in tears through
out the day. He wanted to go home.

Wednesday night God sent help. We got a hold of our Bishop
and he said he would most certainly help give a blessing to Elder Gregson. We
met him at the church. He was talking with someone so we went into a room to
wait until he was ready. Just before we walked in to a room, Sister Budge in
our ward shouted out to us, “Elders we have left over cake!” She brought it
over to us. It was strawberry shortcake. Sunshine loves that, especially the
strawberries! Before he took his first bite he looked at me, giggled, then smiled
with tears in his eyes. That was the first time I saw him smile the whole day!

Bishop invited us into his office. I usually have something
to say, but I was out of words. I had no idea what to say. I just knew we
needed his help. Bishop looked right at him and said in a loving grandfather’s
voice, “I saw your shot.” He lighted the mood and helped McKay feel
comfortable.

Bishop and I placed our hands upon his head, and blessed
him. Bishop blessed him with mental strength and to be able to finish. He let
him know that he is a great example to those around him. It was exactly what
McKay needed.

With McKay’s syndrome, I have discovered, we HAVE TO work on
a certain schedule. If we don't, his mind starts spinning and we have mental breakdowns
like this week. With full confidence we tell you our schedule that you
will understand the circumstance and trust us when we are saying we are doing
ALL we can.

“I've been struggling with the workload. It's not like what
we used to do. We literally visit one member a day. That's all Mac can handle
mentally. Maybe we will get to more people face to face here but what I'm
learning is1) Patiently wait for The
Lord to open the doors 2) Minister to people one by one 3) The power of prayer.
I've been praying that we would make an impact on others that we don't even
know that some way we could reach them. “

I know the Lord is working a miracle through McKay. We must
have faith before we see miracles. That means we have to make it through the
tough days and the ones were, to me, it seems like nothing is happening.
However, it’s BEAUTIFUL to see him light up when he gets out of the ONE lesson.
He is so happy and feels so accomplished. We are touching one person at a time and
it’s humbling for me eyes to watch.

I'm praying to find ways to find and teach people during the
day on the phone or online; so far no luck. I definitely had some interesting
phone calls this week :) Will you pray that we can have a break through in this
particular area? If you have friends or family who you think would be blessed
by the gospel, INVITE them to learn more about the church from us. We are not
threatening at all. We can message them on Facebook, call them up or even Skype
them. Have them find us on Facebook or send us an email and we can work it out
with them. It will be a blessing to them and you.

Even after all the tough things we faced this week, I want to
share with you the strength the Lord sent me. On Friday night we went to dinner
with the Wassons. We watched the video I made about McKay, 6.7 seconds. I had
been frustrated with our schedule that day and when we shared the video the
Lord softened my heart. I didn’t know what to say again after the video was
over. We got to the car after we prayed with them and I just cried and cried. I
knew that we were doing all that we could and McKay’s simplicity was blessing
people one by one. When we got home I read McKay’s nightly summary for the day.
As I saw these words specifically from him to me, “he is an example to me and
always love my brother forever! “ I choked up as I read them and
started to cry again. I told him to post it. I went in to the kitchen and the
Lord literally brought me to my knees. I had no strength. I was bent over
staring at the floor as tears dripped to the floor. McKay walked in the room.
No words. He simply wrapped his arms around me and I wrapped mine around his.
He patted my back, then my head. Then he said, “I love you man.”I said, “I love you too.”